Recharge, unwind, recover, and relax; a bit of 'me time'.A wellness day is the best way to relax for both body and mind. At 't Lennepserf you can book our wellness facilities during your stay. Even more relaxation guaranteed!
The heat of the sauna makes you create endorphin; a happiness substance. Just like when you take a warm bath. You also boost your immune system, if you follow the right routine. You need to perform cycles of heating up and cooling down. Heat up for about 15 minutes in the sauna, then cool down in cold water for 2 minutes, and then a new cycle.
This makes your internal body temperature rise by one or two degrees. Inside your body it will then be 39 degrees Celsius. You then get an 'induced' fever response.
You don't actually have to use a sauna for this, you get the same effect from going into cold water and then just heating back up. It's about the temperature changes. Because of this fever response, you'll start creating more white blood cells. And white blood cells are part of the immune system of our body, so that's positive.
Where does it come from?
The idea of sauna & wellness is ancient. During the Greek and Roman era, you had public bathhouses. The local populace came together here to have a relaxing bath, do sports, have a nice meal, or to read a book. The bathhouses were also called 'Thermen'; a name that's still familiar today. Around 1000 AD, bathhouses were replaced by the dry saunas. Nowadays we know them as traditional Finnish saunas. Back then, it was a wooden shack with a stove that water was poured onto. The saunas was not only used to relax, but sweating was also a cleansing experience.
A sauna is great for the body...
Relief for your muscles
Going into the sauna after a hard day, especially when you do heavy work, can feel like a relief to your muscles. The warm fumes you step into make you release endorphin, which has a soothing effect. Your muscles will relax. The high temperature in the sauna also widens your veins. You'll notice your blood flows faster, so wounds heal more quickly and waste products are better disposed.
It cleans your skin
If you truly sweat a lot, dead skin cells are removed. Bacteria and other waste products are also disposed of through the top layers of your skin.
Sweat also contains dermcidin. This is an antibiotic that is created by your sweat glands. Sweating properly spreads this antibiotic across your skin. So some bacteria don't stand a chance against you!
Weight loss (or not?)
You should take the myth of losing weight by sweating with a pinch of salt. You've probably heard that through sweating in the sauna you can easily lose some kilograms. However, the lost weight mostly consists of water, so it will be back in no time. What you should know: your heart rate increases strongly during a sauna visit. This automatically increases your calorie consumption while resting.
...and mind
No stress; unwind and relax
It's proven that a sauna visit relaxes your body and mind. The substances your body releases during a sauna visit alleviate pain, so you relax. Furthermore, during a sauna visit you experience complete calmness and you go into your own bubble. Leave the outside world behind for a bit. No obligations for a bit. And no outside stimuli for a bit. This combination makes your mind fully unwind.
